


Holding Her Breath

by twtd



Series: The Dragon Club [2]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Light BDSM, Minor Original Character(s), lots of talking, somehow I wrote sex club fic without any sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 01:57:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16672585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: Hecate makes good on a promise and takes Pippa to her club. Then they have a long conversation about what it all means.***"Sadist," Pippa says and glares at Hecate. Hecate hadn't even wanted to come to this party. Why is she making them stay even longer?When Hecate says, "among many other things," Pippa nearly swallows her tongue because she knows now that it isn't a joke. At least she suspects it isn't. And isn't that where Pippa really thinks Hecate is going to be taking her? To some sort of kinky sex club. Is Pippa prepared for that? If she isn't now, she needs to be soon.





	Holding Her Breath

**Author's Note:**

> projectcyborg encouraged me to keep going with this universe so I did because I am easily influenced. 
> 
> There is a very brief mention of a penis but it's nowhere near Hecate or Pippa.

Pippa looks around at the party one more time. It is early. Really too early for them to be departing but Pippa is starting to feel like she has no choice in the matter. Everything Hecate does is distracting. If it had been 24 hours earlier Pippa wouldn’t be in this predicament. 24 hours ago she hadn’t seen Hecate naked. Now, all she wants is to see her that way again. She wants Hecate’s hands burning with fire against her skin. She wants dangerously long kisses. She wants the chance to drive Hecate crazy with her tongue. She wants Hecate. 

Hecate is only a few feet away from her, they have gravitated toward each other all night, but it might as well be miles. She can’t touch Hecate from here, not the way she wants. And then there is Hecate’s promise. Pippa wonders if she will keep it, if she will really take Pippa somewhere while wearing one of those ridiculously sexy dresses. What sort of place will it be? Pippa can’t imagine. She is, in fact, starting to believe she has a rather limited imagination. Maybe Hecate’s coven has an unusual dress code. 

She walks over to Hecate’s side hoping she doesn’t look too eager. “I believe we can take our leave now,” Pippa murmurs. 

“Really?” Hecate smirks and that, at least, has always been a turn on for Pippa. It is comforting in its familiarity. "Don't you think that's a bit premature? You haven't spoken to Mrs. Babcock yet and I'm sure she would be eager to know your opinion on modern theories of spell science or something equally inane." Hecate nods at Mrs. Babcock across the room and gets a wave in return. 

"Sadist," Pippa says and glares at Hecate. Hecate hadn't even wanted to come to this party. Why is she making them stay even longer?

When Hecate says, "among many other things," Pippa nearly swallows her tongue because she knows now that it isn't a joke. At least she suspects it isn't. And isn't that where Pippa really thinks Hecate is going to be taking her? To some sort of kinky sex club. Is Pippa prepared for that? If she isn't now, she needs to be soon. Before she can gather herself to respond, Mrs. Babcock is upon them.

* * *

They are standing outside of what has to be the grungiest dive bar Pippa has ever seen. There is no foot traffic to speak of, just a group of men down the street huddled over cigarettes. They look up warily but immediately return to their conversation. The windows of the bar are dark and one of them has a crack spidering across it. Light from a flickering neon sign sparks off one of the facets sending a weak slash of red across the surface. The door is heavy wood that looks like it has a hundred years of grime built up on it. It isn't somewhere Pippa would look at twice but Hecate walks right up to the door and opens it, holding it for Pippa. Pippa is trying to keep an open mind, but she can't stop herself from giving Hecate a curious look as she passes her and enters the bar proper. 

The inside is just as inspiring as the outside. The lights are dim and the few patrons are huddling over their drinks keeping to themselves. Pippa looks around and no one there looks like someone Hecate would voluntarily interact with. Is Hecate playing some sort of trick on her? That doesn't seem like her. While she is trying to figure everything out, she doesn't notice that Hecate has approached the bar and started a conversation with the bartender. 

"And how are your children? You have two of them, correct?" Hecate asks him. He scratches at two-day-old stubble. 

"Yeah, Agnus and Barbara," he says as he pulls out a picture of two children. Hecate takes it from his hand and looks it over. 

"They've gotten bigger," Hecate says with something bordering on interest. Pippa looks on agog. Hecate knows this man? Knows him well enough to ask after his children? 

"So they have." He takes the picture back. "Your usual table is free."

"Thank you." Hecate gently takes Pippa's arm and guides her toward the very back of the bar. She motions to a booth with cracked leather seats and Pippa has no choice but to sit. Hecate joins her, brings an ankle to rest against Pippa's, and reaches for her hands. Pippa willingly places her hands in Hecate's. 

"Not what you expected?" Hecate asks. 

"Not…" Before she can finish her sentence, between one blink of an eye and the next, they are suddenly sitting in a booth somewhere completely different. Pippa looks around in awe. It's almost like transferring but feels completely different. "At all."

The statement is still true even for the change in venue. The room is smaller than the bar, really just a hallway with the booth at one end and two heavy velvet curtains at the other. Something must be on the other side of the curtains and Pippa's nerves increase. Hecate stands and offers Pippa her hand. Pippa hesitates. Is she really ready for this? It's going to change the way she sees Hecate even more than the night before did. But like Hecate said, if Pippa can't accept all of Hecate, they have no chance and she is confident that when it comes to the really important things, she does know Hecate, knows her inside and out and loves all of her. 

She takes Hecate's hand and stands. If there was really anything to be concerned about, Hecate would have warned her. At least Pippa hopes Hecate would have warned her. 

"I believe I also promised you leather." Hecate snaps her fingers and suddenly she is dressed in one of the outfits Pippa saw the night before. It isn't very different than what Hecate would normally wear except that somehow the collar is even more dramatic, the belt looks more like a corset and the entire affair is made entirely of black leather, though If she looks closely, there are small accents in a deep green. Pippa's mouth goes dry. 

Hecate looks at her critically. "Something for you as well." Pippa wonders what's wrong with what she's wearing, it's the same dress she wore to the party, but Hecate has already snapped her fingers again before Pippa can say anything. Her ankle length skirt is now shorter, falling to just above her knees. Her neckline is more open and she realizes that one of the marks Hecate left the night before is visible now where it wasn't before. She is no longer in pink, the color swapped out for a deep maroon. Despite retaining most of its modesty, there is something about the ensemble that radiates sex as much as Hecate's leather does and she isn't sure how Hecate achieved it. 

Hecate gives her a slow once over and Pippa shivers under her appraisal. "Better."

Hecate leans in and places a small kiss on Pippa's lips. "If you feel uncomfortable, say the word and we'll leave."

“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Pippa smiles up at Hecate suddenly aware that Hecate must be as nervous as she is and she wants to assuage those nerves. She steps closer to Hecate and places her hands flat on Hecate’s waist. She squeezes as comfortingly as she can. “Nothing I see will change how I feel about you.” 

Hecate nods, steps away, and takes Pippa’s hand. A minute later and Hecate is pulling one of the curtains back. She ushers Pippa through ahead of her. Pippa isn't sure what she was expecting but a fairly normal looking lounge isn't it and she wonders just what Hecate was so concerned about. Then she starts to take in the details that the low light conceals. There is far more leather on display than normal, including some wrapped around the necks of various witches and wizards. She's never seen a person wearing a collar before but she tries not to stare. All of the bare skin is harder to drag her eyes away from. It turns out her dress is even more modest than she thought compared to what most of the people around her are wearing. She is sure she's seen at least one person who is barely wearing any clothing at all. A few people have looked up at their entrance but they don't seem to have garnered any particular attention. 

She takes a deep breath to settle herself and moves fully into the room. She can still feel Hecate at her back and her presence is comforting. 

"If you sit, I can get us drinks." Hecate guides her over to an empty settee and hovers while Pippa gets comfortable. Hecate has always been solicitous of her, but this is on another level, as if she's protecting Pippa from something. From what Pippa has no idea. Hecate takes a look around one last time before murmuring, "I'll be back," and stepping away. 

Pippa looks around more openly now that Hecate isn't there. Once she gets past the unusual apparel, it doesn't look like anyone is doing anything particularly scandalous. She sees a few people kneeling on the floor but that's it. She suspects that this lounge is only the beginning of what goes on in the club otherwise Hecate wouldn't be so worried. She looks around a bit more before she returns her gaze to Hecate where she stands at the bar. Hecate has two glasses of champagne in her hands but she's gotten caught up in a conversation with a wizard. They look over to where Pippa is sitting, and knowing they are talking about her, Pippa blushes. The wizard gives a little bow and steps away from Hecate. Before Hecate can get halfway back, someone appears in front of Pippa. 

"You must be Pippa," the woman says as she puts her hand to her forehead. "I'm Simone and you are very well met." 

Ingrained manners bring Pippa's hand up. "Well met." She looks at this new woman curiously, but whatever she wants Pippa is sure she can rise to the occasion. Years of networking with donors means she can talk to anyone about nearly anything, though she's a bit taken aback when Simone sits next to her without any sort of invitation. 

"Hecate is quite private so I'm sure you have no idea who I am." Simone is looking at her with undisguised interest so Pippa returns the look. 

"But you know who I am?" Pippa asks. This woman is intriguing in herself but even more so in that she seems to know Hecate on more than a casual level. 

"Hecate–"

"Is right here," Hecate interrupts. She passes a glass to Pippa, and after Simone bats her eyes up at her, she purses her lips and hands over the second glass. 

"Don't worry, I haven't spilled any of your secrets," Simone says as she takes a sip of what is now her champagne. "And I'll be good and let you sit next to Pippa too." She gets up and shifts to one of the chairs in the cluster. She looks like she's settling in for a while. Hecate takes the free seat and somehow looks even more tense than she had before she left Pippa alone. Pippa wonders if this scenario is exactly what Hecate feared would happen. Simone is forward but seems polite enough, so she isn't sure what Hecate is so worried… Oh. Oh, that's why Hecate is so nervous. 

"Hecate, dear, I believe she's figured it out." Simone's eyes are full of mirth and a smile tugs at her mouth. 

Hecate looks to Pippa gauging her reaction to meeting one of Hecate's former lovers. Pippa reaches out and places a reassuring hand on Hecate's knee. "You've already told me you didn't spend 30 years as a nun." Still, she's intrigued by the relationship Hecate seems to still have with her ex. 

Simone bursts out laughing. "No one would ever accuse Hecate of being a nun." 

Hecate's cheeks have started to turn pink. "I think that's more than enough out of you," she says. 

"Whatever you say, _Miss Hardbroom_." Simone rolls her eyes. She uncrosses her legs and stands. She turns to Pippa. "We'll have to have a conversation when this one isn't around." She squeezes Hecate's shoulder affectionately anyway. "Do enjoy your night." She waves her fingers at Pippa before she turns and walks away. 

"Ex-girlfriend?" Pippa asks as she takes a sip of her champagne. 

"Nothing nearly so complicated," Hecate replies.

Pippa looks at her in confusion. She isn't exactly sure what that means in this situation. 

"We played, had sex, with each other for a number of years but it never evolved into anything outside of the club. I suppose you could class us as friends. We stopped a few years ago." Hecate is gripping her thighs and drums her fingers against them, a nervous habit, and Pippa suspects there is more to the story. 

"What made you stop?" Pippa probes. 

Hecate goes silent for a long time, clearly having some sort of internal debate. Pippa gives her time. She finally comes to a decision. "You," she says as she looks over at Pippa.

"Me? But two years ago we were barely speaking to each other again." Pippa is dumbfounded. Has Hecate been waiting for her all this time? Has Hecate, who obviously has a very healthy libido and the opportunity to exercise it, really forgone sex for two years based merely on a what if? 

"You know I have had… feelings for you since we were in school. I thought if there was a possibility…" Hecate won't look at Pippa instead looking out at the lounge. Pippa uses her fingers on Hecate's jaw to turn Hecate's face toward her and once Hecate meets her eyes she kisses her. She intends it to be short and reassuring but the atmosphere finally catches up with her and she kisses Hecate harder. Their tongues tangle together and she pushes Hecate against the back of the settee. She's practically on Hecate's lap by the time they have to stop to breathe. 

"You are…" Pippa kisses her again. "Ridiculously romantic." Hecate is trying to catch her breath and perhaps the atmosphere is getting to her as well. After all, Hecate has been coming to this place for years primarily to have sex. Pippa imagines there must be some sort of Pavlovian response to returning to this room again and being kissed breathless. 

Hecate looks stunned, like she expected to be called foolish rather than praised. Then she finally relaxes. 

"I'm sorry I've been so slow on the uptake." Pippa does feel bad about it. Looking back, she can see now how Hecate was hesitantly wooing her, all of the little things she was doing, the small presents she kept sending, though always with various excuses to explain away the gesture. She's immensely glad that Hecate decided she was finished waiting and maneuvered them into progressing their relationship. She imagines Hecate had to be nervous about so boldly revealing her feelings, yet she persisted anyway. Pippa feels the need to match Hecate's bravery. 

"So, tell me what you normally do here," Pippa says boldly, finally ready to move beyond just looking. "I can't imagine that you spend all night sitting around and drinking champagne, not based on what I assume are quite expensive membership dues, and certainly not based on what Simone implied." 

Hecate smiles though her lips stay closed. "No. It isn't just champagne. Perhaps it would be best if I showed you. You have to promise not to be too scandalized." Hecate stands and offers Pippa her hand. Pippa takes it and allows Hecate to help her up. 

"I'll try not to be." Pippa wonders if they're about to watch two people have sex. Hecate is guiding Pippa through a second, larger set of curtains and into the back room. It's smaller than the lounge but has a second story that circles the room, thin railings line the inner circle and there are people seated at tables and low couches watching the proceedings from above. In the center of the room is a low stage. Hallways lead off to places Pippa can't imagine. 

As they walk in, a murmur goes through the crowd but it isn't directed at them. A witch and a wizard are climbing onto the stage. The witch is in leather pants and a sparkly black halter top. She carries a paddle in one hand, spinning it around as if testing the weight. The wizard is wearing little more than a collar and a pair of leather briefs. Pippa looks at Hecate with a question on her lips. 

"Just watch," Hecate says before Pippa can ask. The witch runs a hand over the small of the wizard's back and whispers something to him. He seems to settle a bit, though some sort of tension is still running through his body. They talk some more and he nods before he tugs his briefs off and sets them aside. He is naked now and Pippa can't stop staring. It all seems so nonchalant. The crowd is clearly used to this sort of thing. Hecate is looking on impassively. Pippa wonders if she's enjoying herself. 

Something like a pommel horse appears on stage and the wizard bends over it. There is more noise from the crowd and Pippa assumes it means the show is about to start. She's correct as a moment later the witch is spanking the wizard. The paddle hangs loose in her off hand for the moment, but as soon as the wizard's ass is thoroughly red, she switches it to her dominant hand and after another brief word between the two of them, she starts paddling him. He lasts two blows before he starts to cry out. Pippa flinches the first time he makes a sound. She feels Hecate's hand on her lower back steadying her and it helps her calm down. The paddling is over before Pippa has a chance to get used to it. The witch is helping the wizard stand again and Pippa can see that his cock is hard before the two transfer away. She inhales deeply, only then realizing she has been holding her breath. The crowd disperses slightly, returning to their conversations. 

"Can I ask questions now?" Pippa asks. 

"Certainly, though perhaps a change of venue is in order. May I transfer us?"

"You normally don't ask," Pippa snarks back, a smirk on her lips. Hecate rolls her eyes and they are gone in a blink. 

They reappear in what looks to be a private bedroom. The walls are red, the bed is covered in a black duvet, and everything about the room screams that it belongs to Hecate, though it feels like it hasn't been occupied in a long time. Kneeling on the rug between two chairs and near the lowly crackling fire is a pretty woman wearing nothing more than red lace knickers. Hecate purses her lips as she looks at her. 

"Give me a moment," she says to Pippa before she walks over to the woman. She gently lifts her chin. "How long have you been here?"

"Around five minutes," the woman replies. "Magnus told me I wouldn't have to wait long." 

To Pippa, five minutes kneeling seems like a very long time. Her knees would be killing her but then she isn't as young as this woman appears to be. 

"Mmm." Hecate hums. "Well, whatever you came here hoping for, you're not going to get it. Give Magnus my thanks but inform him that I do not appreciate it when he tries to meddle in my affairs."

"Yes, ma'am," the woman says before she stands. "Sorry about the interruption," she whispers to Pippa as she leaves. Hecate purses her lips again but doesn't say anything. Once the door is closed Hecate rubs her forehead. 

"I'm sorry about that. Magnus was playing a bit of a joke, though I'm not sure if it was on me or her." She gestures toward the door and locks it. "To ensure our privacy. You have questions." Hecate sighs. "Probably even more now than you did before. Would you care to have a seat?"

Hecate is right. Pippa has about a million questions. She expected some level of sex and nudity when she walked into the club. She didn't expect to see an apparent stranger proposition Hecate right in front of her. And Hecate hadn't entirely seemed surprised, though she handled it with more tact that Pippa probably would have. A second later there is a pot of tea between them and Hecate is pouring them cups. Pippa takes hers automatically and sips it. It settles some of the butterflies in her stomach. 

"If I weren't here," Pippa looks at Hecate seriously, "would you have had sex with her?"

"No," Hecate says simply. 

It's Pippa's turn to purse her lips. "If I weren't in the picture," she presses.

"I haven't been interested in anonymous sex in well over a decade, so it's highly unlikely." Hecate sips her own tea and waits for Pippa to go on. 

"And Simone?" That makes Hecate look uncomfortable.

"If she were interested," she answers honestly. "She's moved on though. I think his name is Alec. Unless being here has suddenly put you in the mood for a threesome?" 

Pippa isn't sure how she feels being teased for her relative lack of experience. "Is that something you've done?" she asks sharply. Hecate sobers again. 

"A few times when I was younger. Again, they're not my preference." Hecate looks repentant and it calms Pippa. 

"And public displays? Like the one we watched." With each question Hecate answers, Pippa feels more confident. She is getting to know Hecate all over again and each piece of information slowly brings them back to where Pippa thought they already were. 

"I prefer my encounters to happen in private, but I'm not opposed to watching if something interesting is going on." 

"What we saw tonight was tame, wasn't it?" Pippa had a feeling people normally got up to much more exotic things on that stage.

"In the grand scheme, yes, but it was probably quite intense for the two of them." Hecate sits her teacup down.

"So what do _you_ like?" Pippa finally gets around to asking the question she has wanted to know the answer to all night. It's really the only important question she has, though there are still plenty of things she's curious about. How long has Hecate been coming to the club? How did she first find it? What's her relationship like with the other patrons? How much of her off time does Hecate spend in her room here? But there is time to ask those questions later.

"I'm certain this doesn't surprise you but I like telling people what to do. And as you figured out, I like being told what to do as well, though I generally don't express that here. I like pain, normally experiencing it myself, though I'm capable of dispensing it if necessary. I like…" Hecate looks into the fire and Pippa see a vulnerability that hasn't been there before, as if Hecate is telling her something she hasn't shared with anyone else. It amazes Pippa that Hecate is willing to be so open with her. They may have only had sex once, but their relationship spans decades. 

"I like being praised. Being told that I'm good. That I'm good enough," Hecate says and Pippa hears the meaning being the words, knows now why Hecate hasn't expressed that desire to anyone else. It feels like too much of a remnant of her father, of Miss Broomhead, of those for whom she could never be enough. 

"Ah," is all Pippa can say. Hecate finally looks at her again, gauging her reaction. Pippa doesn't think about what she's doing. She just gets up, crosses the space between them, and straddles Hecate's lap. She cups Hecate's face and kisses her as reassuringly as she can. "You will _always_ be good enough for me," she says fiercely. Hecate sits up and captures Pippa's lips again. 

"Thank you for telling me." Pippa rubs her thumb over Hecate's cheekbone and rests her forehead against Hecate's. "I admit, I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I want to know more. I want to know everything about you that you've been keeping hidden for so long." 

"I'll tell you anything that you want to know. I'll show you anything you need to see." Hecate searches Pippa's eyes still looking desperately for acceptance. Pippa doesn't know what else to do to make Hecate believe her. She supposes it will just take time. 

"Right now, all I need is you." She magics Hecate's hair down entirely where she can run her fingers through it. Hecate leans into her touch rather like a cat. Her eyes flutter closed. "Can we go back to Pentangle's?" Pippa asks. "I want to peel you out of this dress but I don't think I'm quite ready to do it here." She feels like there are too many expectations in this space. She's more than willing to explore them, eager even, but not tonight. She is too tired and still too overwhelmed, but she wants to feel Hecate's skin against hers.

"We can do anything you like," Hecate says though she appears a bit crestfallen. 

"I'm not saying never," Pippa replies. "Bring me back in a week and I'm sure I'll be all for it. I'm just saying not tonight." 

"Alright." Hecate gently pushes Pippa back off of her lap. A quick gesture and Pippa's clothing returns to its previous state, though Hecate leaves her leather dress on. It seems she's taking Pippa's desire to remove it seriously. Pippa has a feeling that Hecate would take any desire she expressed seriously. "I'm going to transfer us outside. I'll do a better job asking before I do it in the future." 

Pippa nods and the next thing she knows she is standing outside of the bar they entered at the beginning of the night. It feels like a very long time ago. Before they can go anywhere, Pippa wraps her arms around Hecate and nuzzles in under her jaw. "Thank you for showing me," she says. 

Hecate nods. "Thank you for coming." With that, Hecate transfers them back to Pentangle's.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I don't know how I wrote a story about Hecate and Pippa going to a fetish club and then not having sex. It just happened, okay?
> 
> I'm on tumblr @twtd11. Comments are the bestest!


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